Page 63 of Wolf Sacrificed

I looked out into the trees again as a sense of foreboding filled me. We’d dispatched Alpha Dane’s men quickly. Granted, they were greatly outnumbered, but this almost seemed too easy. Sawyer had mentioned a team, but he didn’t say how many.

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. Something about this felt off. I looked over my shoulder at the road, where just the black Mustang and my pack’s cars were parked.

“Do you know if anyone else followed you?” I asked.

Leo looked behind him. “There were some wolves that were following us initially, but we thought we lost them.”

I met Lincoln’s gaze. “How many men does your dad usually send?”

Lincoln ran a hand through his hair. “More than this.”

Crap. There were probably more men out there.

“Keep your eyes peeled. Make sure no one else is here,” I called, loud enough for everyone to hear.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Leo. “Do you remember the last time you saw them?”

He scrubbed his eyes. “I’m not sure. We’ve been running nonstop for maybe an hour, two at most.”

I gritted my teeth. I knew how quickly time passed when you were in the thick of things. What if it had only been ten minutes, but it had felt like an hour?

“How many would you say there were?” I asked.

Lincoln scanned the area as he cocked his head to the side like he was listening for something. “They’re coming from that direction.”

He pointed along the river, which made sense. They would’ve had to come from that direction. The river made it nice in that respect. It was too deep and too wide to go around.

My fears were all but confirmed when a loud snarl came from about a few hundred feet away. My heart sank lower in my chest as I stared at the pack of thirty or so wolves.

They bared their teeth at us. We’d gone from having the numbers to now being outnumbered.

We hadn’t come out here prepared to fight, but I didn’t think we could run either, not without potentially taking casualties. It was a lose-lose for either situation.

I gave Leo and the four others a quick once-over. Their injuries looked mostly superficial. They must have shifted at some point.

“Can your men fight?” I asked.

He gritted his teeth. “Absolutely, Alpha.”

I looked at my enforcers. “We move swiftly and quickly. Don’t let any of them get out of here alive. You can take prisoners. It wouldn’t hurt to have some we can question.”

“Yes, Alpha,” my enforcers said.

Lincoln reached out to me through our bond. Sloane, you’re not ready for this kind of fight. You’ll be out in the open, exposed.

Sawyer joined us, his warmth surrounding me in a loving embrace. I’m here, brother. I’ll protect her. I don’t want to lose either of you tonight.

He skimmed his fingers down my arm. Assuming you’re okay with that.

I fought back a smile because this would be an awkward time for everyone to see me smiling. This really is the last time, and then I want to see you before you leave, for real this time.

He gave me a single nod. I want to see you both, too.

Good, because I would make sure that he came back with us tonight. No questions asked.

I pointed toward the wolves that stalked toward our group. “On three. One. Two. Three.”

I lunged forward, triggering my shift midair, and landed on all four paws. I raced forward, the full force of my pack on my heels. Since I was the fastest and the alpha, I led the charge.

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